“A Republic, If You Can Keep It.”
As Benjamin Franklin emerged from Independence Hall in Philadelphia after the Constitutional Convention of 1787, he was asked by a woman, “Well, doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Up until the 1950s every schoolboy worth his salt could recite his famous answer, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Thanks to the extraordinary vision, tenacity (see Word of the Week) and sacrifice of Franklin and our other founding fathers, the Constitution of the United States officially went into effect in 1789 and George Washington was inaugurated as our first president that same year. For the next 220 years the citizens of the United States of America were able to ‘keep the republic’, despite the many hurdles that would present themselves along the course of history. As the basic framework of government in the United States, the Constitution guided us through some very tough times and ensured that we would always emerge as a stronger nation.
Great Leaders Carried the Torch
Under the leadership of many great presidents since 1789 we just kept getting better. Thomas Jefferson brokered the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, nearly doubling the territory of the young nation…all for just $15 million with a loan from a British bank. Jefferson demonstrated that a sensible national debt could pay big dividends and presided over what was probably the largest peaceful transfer of land between nations. As Commander in Chief, Abraham Lincoln guided the country through its most daunting challenge up to that point, keeping the states united despite a devastating Civil War. In 1863 his Emancipation Proclamation began the long process of righting the wrong of slavery and demonstrated just how the executive order should be used. Speaking softly, but carrying a big stick, Teddy Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet around the world in 1907 to demonstrate the burgeoning military might of the United States. As ‘the man in the arena’, Roosevelt demonstrated that peace truly did have a better chance through strength and made no apologies for the exceptionalism of the United States. Harry Truman didn’t have a degree from Harvard or any other university for that matter, but with his Ph.D. in common sense, he stepped up to the plate and made some of the toughest decisions any president has ever had to make. As a true leader he knew that ‘the buck stops here’ and took full responsibility for his actions, never blaming anyone else for the mess he inherited. Ronald Reagan showed that he was much more than just a great speaker and a nice guy when he resurrected the economy after the Carter debacle, proving that capitalism is indeed the best economic system because it does the most good for the most people. He demonstrated how important it is to have a strong economy when he brought about the collapse of the ‘evil empire’ through economic superiority.
But Everything Changed in 2009
Something very troubling happened in 2009 when history took a dramatic turn with the inauguration of a new president, exactly 220 years after George Washington became president. For the first time in our nation’s history, a man whose values, principles and interests were very different from those of most Americans moved into the White House. This man had his roots more firmly planted in foreign lands than in the United States of America…in countries that actually have little in common with us. This man’s mentors were socialists and other radicals whose goals have been to strip the United States of its status as the strongest military and the strongest economic power in the world. And finally, this was a man with no leadership or executive experience…a man whose only credentials were having been a professor and a community organizer. But with his slick tongue and carefully scrubbed past history he sold Americans a bill of goods, worming his way into power and into the annals of history.
Pales in Comparison
Since Barack Obama became president in 2009 the national debt has increased from less than $10 trillion to more than $16 trillion, an increase of 60% in less than four years! He has disregarded the constitution in favor of ruling by executive order and through the appointment of czars who are not accountable to the electorate. He has decimated the military of the United States and projected weakness with his baseless apologies, the results of which we are now witnessing throughout the world. His pathetic attempt to blame someone else for the problems he has created is the surest sign that he is not a leader. The nice guy with the Hollywood smile has done nothing to improve the economy with his radical policies, his strangulating regulations and his failure to take even the simplest steps to address the causes of high unemployment. Good grief! What more do we need to know! Even the most unsophisticated observer would agree that Barack Obama has had a failed presidency.
At a Crossroads
The question now becomes, will we awaken on November 7 and say, ‘Well, 220 years…it was a good run, as countries go’. Or will we continue to ‘Believe in America’ and awaken to a revival of all that is good about our great country. Now is the time for every American who cherishes our way of life to get out and help defeat this affront to our time-honored principles and values. What will you do to help? It’s entirely up to us and this quite possibly could be our last chance! As we think of the thousands of Americans who willingly gave their lives in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and now Iraq and Afghanistan to preserve those principles and values, how can we not answer the call at this critically important time for America? At the very least, we can know the issues, talk to our friends, take someone to the polls or walk a precinct. If every one of us who believes in America can get just one more person to stand with us, we can do this!
